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This article is about the district. For its eponymous headquarters, see Erode.

The district comprises a long undulating plain, sloping gently towards the Kaveri river in the south-east. Three major tributaries of river Kaveri, the Bhavani, Noyyal and Amaravati, run across the long stretch of mountains in the north. Other significant rivers are Palar in the north and Vatamalaikarai odai and Uppar rivers in the south. The Palar constitutes the boundary between Erode district and Karnataka in the north. The Bhavanisagar dam and Kodiveri dam provide storage facilities and numerous canals along with these rivers provide proper drainage and facilities for irrigation in the district.

Bhavani rises in the Western Ghats of Silent Valley National Park in Palakkad District of Kerala. It receives the Siruvani River which has the second tastiest water in the world, a perennial stream of Coimbatore District, and gets reinforced by the Kundah river before entering Erode District in Sathyamangalam. Bhavani is more or less a perennial river fed mostly by the southwest monsoon. The northeast monsoon also supplements its water resources. This river runs for over hundred miles through Erode District, traversing Bhavani and Gobichettipalayamtaluks. It feeds the Bhavanisagar reservoir, which takes an easterly course after Sathyamangalam taluk. Between Sathyamangalam and Gobichettipalayam lies the Kodiveri Dam, a mini dam constructed for agricultural purposes. Then it flows through Gobichettipalayam and Bhavani taluks before it ultimately joins Kaveri in the island of Bhavani, Tamil Nadu, near Erode, with a holistic tributary river of Amutha Nathi, hence called Tiriveni Sangamam. The place where Bhavani joins with Kaveri River is famous for Sri Sangameshwara Temple of Lord Shiva, where according to the Hindu customs people perform the last rights for deceased near and dears.

Kaveri rises in the Western Ghats of Kodagu (Coorg) District, in Karnataka, and is joined by many small tributaries. It runs eastward through Karnataka, and at Hogenakal fall takes a sharp turn, east to south. Before reaching this point, it is joined by its main tributary, the Kabini River. From here it runs towards the southeast, forming the boundary between Bhavani Taluk of Erode District and Tiruchengode Taluk of the neighbouring Namakkal District. The Bhavani River joins the Kaveri at the town of Bhavani.

Noyyal river is noted for its capricious nature. This is fed mostly by the southwest monsoon but the northeast monsoon brings freshes, and this very often results in floods. In spite of its unpredictable character, the river helps to irrigate considerable areas in Palladam taluk of Coimbatore District and Kangeyam taluk of Erode District.But due to the chemical waste came from tirupur dying factories this river water cannot used for the agriculture.

Amaravati river rises in the Travancore region of Kerala, and enters Erode District from Udumalaippettai taluk in Coimbatore District. The river flows through Dharapuram and Kangeyam taluk before it joins Kaveri in Karur District.

The climate is mostly dry and characterised by good rainfall. Unlike nearby Coimbatore district, Erode District has dry weather throughout the year except during the monsoons. The Palghat Gap in Western Ghats, which has a moderating effect on the climate of Coimbatore district, does not help in bringing down the dry climate in this area. The cool moist wind that gushes out of the west coast through Palghat gap loses its coolness and becomes dry by the time it crosses Coimbatore district and reaches Erode.

Generally the first two months of the year are pleasant, but in March the temperature begins to rise, which persists till the end of May. The highest temperatures are normally recorded during May. The scanty showers during this period do not provide much relief from the oppressive heat. However, there is an improvement in the climate during the June–August period. During the pre-monsoon period, the temperature reverses its trend. By September the sky gets heavily overcast, although the rains pour down. The northeast monsoon sets in vigorously only during October–November, and by December the rains disappear, rendering the climate clear and cold.

Agriculture is the most important income source of this district. Paddy, Plantain, Groundnut, cotton, turmeric, coconut and sugarcane are some of the agricultural products. With 43% share, the district is the top turmeric producer in Tamil Nadu.[1]. Erode is also known as "The Turmeric City". Erode District is an important market centre for turmeric, a spice commonly used in curries. Turmeric is also used as a fabric dye. The turmeric is collected from Erode District and from adjoining districts of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, including Mysore. Erode district is also the leading producer of plantain, coconuts and white silk in Tamil Nadu.

Erode is also well known for handloom, powerloom textile products and ready-made garments and hence called the powerloom city of India. Products such as cottonsarees, bed spreads, carpets, lungies, printed fabrics, towels, dhotis are marketed there. In mid-2005, Bhavani Jamakkalam (Bhavani Bedsheets) was registered as a Geographical Indication by the Government of India.
Nowadays more and more spinning mills which produce yarn for the power loom are set up in and around the town of Erode. Chennimalai is also famous for textiles.

Turmeric powder, used extensively in Indian cuisine

Punjai Puliampatti has the second largest weekly shandy in Tamil Nadu and it is one of the leading tobacco producers in Tamil Nadu. Anthiyur shandy and Modachur shandy are famous for cattle.

The transportation system in the district is already well developed. Erode, being one of the prominent trading centres in the state, is well connected with all modern means of transport except air transport. The district is accessible by both road and rail from the state capital Chennai and other district headquarters.

Rail Transport

Erode junction was a important railway station built by the British to connect the west coast of India to the east coast of India. There is a diesel locomotive shed and an electric locomotive shed for Erode Junction. It is one of the most important railway stations in India. The station code is ED. It has state of the art technology in electrification and was the first electrified link from Chennai with broad gauge conversion. Erode Junction has the distinction of being the Third cleanest railway junction in India, after Bhopal Habibganj Railway Station (Bhopal) and Secunderabad Railway Station (Hyderabad) in India. Both Electric and Diesel Locomotive Sheds have been ISO certified. It also serves as the hub for water filling facilities, food provision and toilet cleaning to all long distance trains that run via Erode. Erode Junction is the junction point between the trains passing towards West/East of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Karnataka with 4 platforms and it one of the busiest railway junctions where many trains passing through. The station is well connected by buses round the clock. There are Five local railway stations in the city.

Road Transport

Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation Coimbatore div-II headquartered at Erode originally called as Jeeva Transport Corporation(JTC) Ltd services the inter and intra city routes. The Erode division of the TNSTC services the district's road transport needs with a string of local and mofussil (out-of-town) services. The State Express Bus Corporation (SETC) operates express services to Chennai, Coimbatore, Mysore, Cochin, Thrissur, Salem, Bangalore, Pondicherry, Nagapattinam, Vellore, Tirunelveli, and Tirupati. One can get buses from Erode to almost any part of the state. Erode bus stand is the second largest in Tamil Nadu in terms of area after CMBT, Chennai.

Busiest Arterial Road of the city - Brough Road

TNSTC - ERODE

The Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) has a divisional headquarters at Erode. Originally called as Jeeva Transport Corporation (JTC), it came into being by bifurcation of the Cheran Transport Corporation (headquartered at Coimbatore). It started functioning from 1 April 1983, with the principal area of operation in the Erode District, parts of Tirupur, Namakkal, Salem and Karur Districts. It was renamed as Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation, Erode Limited (Coimbatore Division-II) on 1 July 1997. The fleet strength as on 31 March 2005 was 1218 during the year 2003-2005. It has many depots at various places in the districts are Erode-1, Erode-2, Erode-3, Bhavani, Gobichettipalayam, Anthiyur, Perundurai, Nambiyur, Sathyamangalam, Kavindapadi, Thalavadi, Karur and proposed depots at Kodumudi and Chennimalai.

The district is also served by an extensive Postal, Telegraph and Telephone networks. It is connected to the rest of the state by subscriber trunk dialing system (STD). The telephone network within the city is also expanding rapidly.

The district has a vast coverage by mobile phone operators.Since most of its people live in rural areas it is far more economical for the people as well as the mobile operators to build the infrastructure for mobile phone communications.

Erode district has several facilities for higher education including a Medical College, fifteen Engineering colleges along with 18 Arts and Science Colleges. It has two educational districts, Gobichettipalyam and Erode.